Running Down the Dream: Jumping July 2022

July 2022 in review!

Total mileage for the month: 369.0

June 27-July 3: 84.3
July 4-10: 88.3
July 11-17: 84.9
July 18-24: 71.0
July 25-31: 88.1

July 4 jump

Races (just time trials this month):

July 13: Miles from Mentor 1600 m time trial in 5:42 - I really don't know how to race a mile! This didn't hurt, but I didn't know how to push myself like I should at this distance. I guess I felt more like this was just a part of a workout (which it was, but that wasn't the primary purpose) - I ran it like a mile repeat. I took my 800 m split and ran 2:52 then 2:50, so I ran a slight negative split, but just didn't think I really put myself in it. It's a very different race than I'm used to! I ran 15 miles the day before this, which may not be the ideal pre-time trial training but I don't think it really mattered.
July 23: Miles from Mentor 5000 m time trial in 18:32 (5:58 pace) - I did far better at pushing myself on this one than I did in the 1600 m and was really working during the final mile. My recap post has the details!

1600 m time trial

Time trial morning!

Workouts:

July 1: 2 threshold (5:58, 5:56), 4 x 1:30 hill reps, 2 threshold (6:01, 6:00), 3:00 jog between each segment), 10.4 miles total. I've never before run sub-6:00 on this hill, so I was thrilled with my hill paces of 5:59, 5:55, 5:57, 6:01. On June 14 my paces were 6:03, 6:09, 6:10, 6:08 with the hills being the first thing in the workout, and at the time that was my best repeat workout on that hill, so I dropped a good amount time with some work on my legs. The first threshold was much easier than the second, but overall the workout felt strong and smooth, and when it hurt it hurt so good.
July 5: 4 x 1200 m + 4 x 200 m with 200 m recovery slogs (400 m between the 1200s and 200s) on the road, 10.1 miles total. I knew better than to start at my goal pace (5:35) on the 1200s without adjusting for the 75* dew point, but I did it anyway and then paid for it. It was an awful lot like my 8 x 600 m workout last month! My times/paces were: 4:09/5:35 pace, 4:13/5:40 pace, 4:19/5:47 pace, and 4:29/6:01 pace. I managed the 200s alright with times of 0:39, 0:35, 0:36, 0:36 on a slight decline (~7 ft total drop).
July 8: 3 x 10:00 threshold at 6:16, 6:15, 6:11, 10.1 miles total. While on paper this looks like just a solid average day where I almost hit my goal average of 6:13, in reality I was really proud of this one because it was 83* for this workout (at 5:30 a.m.!!). It is much more difficult for me to negative split anything when it's warm (refer to July 5), so I started off conservatively and thought I executed well.
July 13: 1600 m time trial in 5:42, 1600 m jog, 5 x 800 m progressive intervals in 2:56, 2:55, 2:55, 2:55, 2:54 [200 m splits were pretty much right on 46, 45, 43, 41 for each one] with 400 m jogs, 10.3 miles total. If I ever decide to truly race a mile, I need to figure out how to do it first! I really liked the progressive 800 m reps; the first lap felt quite easy then it was fun to crank it down and they went by quickly with focusing on 200 m at a time.
July 16: 4 easy, 10 x 3:00 at threshold (6:09 average), 4 easy for my first long run workout of the season! We ran a hilly route so my paces fluctuated based on whether the section was net uphill, net downhill, or relatively even and my 10 reps were: 6:10, 6:21, 6:25, 6:14, 6:08, 6:04, 6:21, 5:56, 6:03, 5:50. I liked this one!
July 19: 8 x 1:30 on/1:30 off, 9.2 miles total. My goal pace for this was 5:38 and I averaged 5:35 via 5:21, 5:35, 5:33, 5:33, 5:33, 5:42, 5:48, 5:34 - and more miraculously, all of my offs were in the 7s, even the one where I walked the first ~5 seconds. I never felt good one this one but I got it done!
July 23: 5k time trial in 18:32, with warm up and cool down for 10 total.
July 26: 3 x (600 m, 400 m, 300 m, 200 m with 200 jogs) in 2:08, 1:24, 1:01, 0:40, 2:09, 1:25, 1:03, 0:40, 2:11, 1:26, 1:04, 0:40 (10 total). I was pretty close to my goal splits of 2:08, 1:25, 1:03, 0:39, and it burned! This was my last track workout of the season and I wasn't too sad about it - bring on threshold and marathon pace work.
July 29: 2 miles at threshold (6:18, 6:19), 2 miles at 10k (6:02, 6:08), 1 mile at 5k (6:09) with 3:00 jogs (11.2 total). The good weather paces my coach gave me for this workout were 6:10, 5:58, 5:48, and I added 10 seconds for the 72* dew point (6:20, 6:08, 5:58), but I still couldn't quite hit the workout. Casey ran the 2 mile reps with me and I was solo for the 1 mile, which made it more difficult. I was pretty proud that I was only +10 seconds on the 1 mile because I didn't feel like I had anything left for it. Maybe I should have added more than 10 seconds/mile for the weather, maybe I was a little too fatigued, or may it just wasn't my day, but I felt like I gained a lot from pushing through this one.
Doubles: July 5, 6, 12, 14, 19, 26, 27.
Strides: July 4, 12, 18, 22, 25.
Strength training: twice a week!
Favorite workout: July 16's long run workout!

Abby participated in a boot!

#jumpingjuly

Long and Medium Long Runs (11 miles+):

July 2: 16.6 miles (7:58) that was sticky HOT! I was fatigued from my July 1 workout and didn't carry enough water, yet I also greatly enjoyed this run.
July 6: 11.4 miles (8:23) that I felt pretty fatigued on after July 5's humid workout, 102* double, and strength session.
July 9: 18 miles (7:55) that I brought water on!
July 10: 12 miles (7:56) that felt better than I expected to.
July 16: 16.2 miles (7:14) with a workout, described above. Casey, Rebecca, and Brad joined me on this one.
July 17: 12.2 miles (8:11) that went by really quickly considering it was 78* at 6 a.m.
July 20: 12.1 miles (8:16) of hills in Kansas City. I felt better than I expected to on this one though!
July 24: 12 miles (7:59) that felt pretty short for a long run; this was the end of a cut back week!
July 27: 11.2 miles (8:17) that reminded me I'm still trying to find the balance on days when I workout, double, strength train, and work! It seems like my Tuesday workouts plus strength training is harder on me than my Saturday long run plus strength training.
July 30: 18 miles (7:51) that included a massive downpour for about the final 4 miles - but that gave us 68* which felt almost cold!
Favorite long run: Even though I picked the July 16 for my favorite workout, I'd say it was also my favorite long run. All of the 18 milers were great as well!